Blades & Battles

A Chef's Path Through Heat and Hardship

Blades and Battles
Leaving the Job You Hate. Learning the Craft That Shapes You.

You don’t hate work.
You hate work that drains you.

Blades and Battles is written for anyone standing at the edge of a decision—whether to stay in a safe, unfulfilling job or step into the demanding, honest world of culinary craft.

This is not a fantasy about life in the kitchen.
It is a grounded, disciplined look at what it means to pursue a culinary path later in life—and why working with your hands, your tools, and your time can restore purpose, pride, and direction.

Through the lens of knives, kitchen discipline, and personal battles fought far from the spotlight, Phil D. May explores how learning a craft teaches more than technique. It teaches humility. Patience. Resilience. And the courage to start again.

This book is for:

• People trapped in careers they no longer believe in
• Readers considering culinary school or a kitchen apprenticeship
• Home cooks dreaming of becoming professional chefs
• Anyone seeking a meaningful career change through skilled work

Inside, you’ll discover:

• Why culinary work demands discipline before passion
• How knife skills and repetition build confidence and clarity
• What aspiring chefs should understand before leaving their day job
• Why mastery begins with humility, not ego

Blades and Battles bridges culinary culture and personal growth—showing how the quiet rituals of the kitchen prepare you for the larger battles of life.

This book won’t promise an easy path.
It will offer something better: an honest one.

If you are considering leaving a job you hate to pursue a culinary career—this book was written for you.

This book is part of an ongoing body of work exploring craft, resilience, and intentional living.